Psalm 100: The Importance of Praise
This summer on More Than Sundays, we turn our attention to the Psalms. We have asked our writers to write about their favorite Psalm with the intention that it will provide our readers with encouragement, insight, and wisdom. Please enjoy!
I was once asked which Psalm was my favorite, and it had almost shamed me to say that I hadn’t read all the Psalms to really know the answer to that question. So, when I saw that we were given the option to discuss one of our favorite Psalms here on More Than Sundays, I thought what a perfect time to dive into the whole book. It helped that I was also in this section of reading in the YouVersion Bible App’s Bible Recap (nothing is coincidental!) so I was able to dive in further to each of the Psalms. I came away with a few favorites, but one in particular stood out to me the most. During previous seasons of my life, I often found myself wanting to lament to God, and while that isn’t a bad thing, I found that I was wanting to lament more than I was willing to give thanks. I’ve always known God as my Savior, the One who saves me from my despair and rescues me from the pits of darkness, but often I found myself crying about my valleys all while forgetting to praise Him on the mountain. When we can turn our sorrows into songs of praise, we are welcomed into the presence of God and shown His power and character! It wasn’t until recently that I realized that when we come to God with thanksgiving, our whole attitude changes, and we can take a posture of servitude and be in awe of who He really is! I think once you realize His power, it becomes easier to shout His praise. When you look back at all that God has pulled you out of and done for you (big or little), you can’t help but want to sing of His faithfulness, shout His praises, and dance like no one is watching! That’s exactly what Psalm 100 (ESV) speaks about! It reads, “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever and his faithfulness to all generations.”
There’s a greater appreciation for the joy that Jesus Christ provides when you invest into His Word. This psalm didn’t resonate with me as much the first time I read it because I didn’t see all the joy that God was filling me with. At first, I was too distracted focusing on the things I didn’t have or the things I wish I had, not realizing that focusing on those things only provided me with a temporary feeling of happiness, not the everlasting joy that the Lord provides. Once I shifted my perspective on everything the Lord had done and how I wanted to live my life to serve Him, joy filled my cup so much that I just wanted to keep giving Him all the glory and praise! Then when I came across this psalm again, after reading it, I just wanted to keep reading it over and over. I fully understood where my joy was coming from and what my response was to the greatness of our God! If you know anything about me, you know that I relate most with music; meaningful lyrics, catchy choruses – these become the soundtrack to my mind. So when I think about coming into the presence of the Lord with singing and praise, I can’t help but get excited! The fact that we will one day enter the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven and give thanks to the Lord for His steadfast love and faithfulness to generations will always bring joy to my heart! But my favorite part about this verse is the one line that sneaks right in there, to remind me of who I am and who I belong to.
Verse 3 says, “Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.” As excited as I am to sing praises with the Lord Everlasting, this part reminds me of the reverence that I should also be carrying with me when I enter those gates. It reminds me of Psalm 23 and the story of the lost sheep in Matthew 18. Psalm 23:1-4 (ESV) says, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” This verse reminds us that we can find our comfort and peace with our ultimate shepherd who guides us and is with us. Even in moments of desperation and darkness, His staff and rod provide guidance and protection. In Him we find our ultimate compass in life. It all points back to our shepherd. Matthew 18:12-13 (ESV) says, “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than the ninety-nine that never went astray.” That verse shows that though our shepherd guides us, sometimes we may lack direction like sheep and wander off. However, our Lord and Savior will leave the flock in search of us, the wandering one, to bring us back to Him. The Lord is good! He will remain faithful to us and generations to come – despite our circumstances, despite our unfaithfulness that we may exhibit to Him, despite our iniquities. We are the sheep of His pasture, and as any good shepherd, Jesus Christ calls for us to follow Him, to let Him direct our paths. As Tara-Leigh Cobble on the Bible Recap reminds us, “He is where the joy is!” So the next time you dive into the Word, try to allow your eyes to hit every word on the page. One day will be different than the next in regard to what God chooses to speak to you. The next time you pray, try praying in thanksgiving for all the things He has done, giving thanks with a grateful heart. The next time you worship, try coming into His presence with singing knowing that He is worth all the praise and glory!